Packers 2022 free agency: What’s next for Allen Lazard?
The Green Bay Packers will have to make some changes at wide receiver this offseason as Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St. Brown are all unrestricted free agents.
Allen Lazard is a restricted free agent, and Malik Taylor is an exclusive-rights free agent.
Lazard is the Packers’ only restricted free agent at the wide receiver position, so what does this mean for his future with the team?
Unlike Adams, MVS, and St. Brown, who will all become free to sign elsewhere unless they either work out a long-term deal or are franchise-tagged, the Packers do have some control when it comes to bringing Lazard back.
Should the Packers wish, they can use one of three restricted free agent tenders on Lazard. There is a first-round, second-round, or right of first refusal.
If the Packers pick one of these three, other teams will still have the option to offer Lazard a new contract in free agency. However, even if Lazard signed the offer sheet, Green Bay would have the chance to match the offer.
If another team signs Lazard to an offer sheet and Green Bay doesn’t match, he would sign with that team. If a first-round tender were used, the Packers would receive a first-round pick in return or a second-round selection for the second-round tender. They would receive no compensation for the right of first refusal tender.
The Packers can opt for more security, but each tender has a different price tag. Over The Cap projects that the first-round tender will cost $5.56 million in 2022, the second-round $3.99 million, and the right of first refusal $2.43 million.
Now, Green Bay could decide to forget all of that and offer Lazard a new long-term deal.
Whether it’s Aaron Rodgers or Jordan Love at quarterback, the Packers should want Lazard back in 2022. For that reason, they should use one of the RFA tenders.
Choosing which one isn’t as straightforward, however. If Green Bay uses the right of first refusal tender, it would have the opportunity to match any contracts, but what if another team gives Lazard a deal the Packers can’t afford to match? They would then risk losing him with no compensation.
The second-round tender may be the best choice for a player as important to this team as Lazard. If another team did offer him a big contract and Green Bay couldn’t match, it would receive a second-round pick in return.
What are your thoughts?